By Casey Curtis
Leader Staff Writer
‘You’re going to look terrible bald!? said Mark Ott, an eighth grade Oxford Middle School teacher, to seventh grade teacher Tom Brown.
No, he’s not talking about the impending doom of genetic hair loss. He’s talking about May 9, when hundreds of OMS students will get to see these teachers get their heads shaved.
But Ott, Brown, and sixth grade teacher Mark Gray, aren’t doing it just for amusement, they’re doing it for a good cause.
In November 2004, OMS student Michael Magdaleno died of cancer at the age of 13. Michael’s life not only touched a lot of students, but a lot of teachers as well.
‘He had a strength that was just beyond belief,? said Brown.
In an effort to make his memory live on even longer, this year the Magdaleno family established the Michael Magdaleno Memorial Scholarship Fund. A scholarship of $1,500 will be awarded to Oxford High School seniors who plan to attend college.
The teachers decided this was their chance to plan something to help raise even more money so more scholarships could be handed out.
So, Ott, Brown, and Gray got together and decided to create some rivalry between the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade classes by challenging them to see who could raise the most money.
‘I want to see the eighth graders put in enough money to shave those guys,’said Ott with a laugh.
Brown said they’ve already generated about $4,500 in donations, but he knows they’ll make a lot more.
‘I think the people who hate us, which is very few in numbers, will really generate some money,? he said.
Donations will be collected for the next two weeks, culminating in a head shaving assembly on May 9.
Teddi Guzman, from Sabrina’s Salon in Oxford, will have the honor of shaving the heads. She said this whole event doesn’t seem that unusual to her.
‘It doesn’t surprise me, knowing these teachers,? she said.
The teachers said outside donations are more than welcome and Ott encourages any outside donors to specify which teacher they want their money to go toward.
‘I think the students that really like us will have a riot,? he said.
The teachers said that no matter how much money they collect, they’ll still get their heads shaved.
No matter how much rivalry there is between the classes, Ott said their main goal is to help their students do what’s right and put their money towards a good cause.
And although Brown isn’t too excited about losing his hair at such an early age, he knows the kids will get a kick out of it.
‘I can only hope to look as good bald as Michael did,? he said.
Send Donations to:
Oxford Middle School
1420 Lakeville Rd.
Oxford, MI 48371
c/o Michael Magdaleno Memorial
Scholarship Fund